Editorial Notes by T. C. Elliott 335 From the entry on Nov. 25th (ultra), it is seen that Dr. Mc- LoughHn had selected in advance the route for the second expe- dition and had sent ahead toward the headwaters of the Des Chutes a party under Finan McDonald and Thos. McKay. This Finan McDonald had been in the Flathead and Spokane country as early as 1809-10 with David Thompson, and Thos. McKay had arrived at Astoria with his father, Alex. McKay, in March, 1811, both of the Astoria party on the Tonquin. According to the entry of April loth (ultra), by some advan- tage held over them (the full nature of which is not yet understood) the deserters of the previous year were compelled to pay their debts to the H. B. Co. by turning in over four hundred dollars' worth of beaver (not eight thousand one hun- dred and twelve beaver skins). There are later references to this incident under which it will be more appropriate to discuss it. It will be noted that whenever Mr. Ogden could start for the Columbia with more than three thousand beaver skins in the packs he was a happy man. Readers of these Journals will be interested in reading in comparison Chapter XXXI. of Miss Laut's "Conquest of the Great Northwest," and a sketch of the life of Mr. Ogden soon to appear in this Quarterly. Journal of Peter Skene Ogden ; Snake Expedition, 1825-1826. (As Copied by Miss Agnes C. Laut in 1905 from Original in Hudson's Bay Company House, London, England.) Monday, November 21, 1825. Having sent off all hands yesterday in company with Mr. Dears^ I took my departure from Ft. Nez Perces^ and about 10 o'clock I overtook my party who were waiting my arrival. Tho 6 horses were missing I gave orders to raise camp. We followed the banks of the Co- I Mr. Dears, a clerk; not to be confounded with Mr. Dease, who was a chief trader.
a For* Walla Walla.----
